Reducing regulating-valve.



A. W. CASH. REDUCING REGULATING VALVE. APPLICATION FILED cow. s, 1913.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914..

Q 2 7 3 30 g ,3 /7 x anow/toz UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

ARTHUR w. CASH, OF DECATUR, I LINQIS, ASSIGNOR T0 H. MUELLER MFG. CO P]! -DECATUFR, ILLINQIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

REDUGING BEGULATINe-vnvn pecification of LettersPatent.

Patented Mar. .1 7, 191.4.

Applicaflon filed October 8, 1913. Serial No. 794,164.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. CASH, a

citizen of the United States, residin at Decatur, in the State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Reducing Regulating-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fluid ressure reducing and regulating valve in w i'ch the valve is automatically opened by means of a diaphragm and spring whenever the pressure on the outlet side of the valve falls below a' predetermined point, and remains open until the pressure is restored, when it closes automatically.

In regulating valves controlled by adiaphragmand springs, it is a well known fact that the diaphragm at different times, and under changing pressures, presents an in creasing and diminishing eifective area; it is also well known that springs are variable in their force of resistance in proportion to the amount of compression-or extension to which they are subjected.

Knowing these facts, it is the object of the present invention to provide a valve of this kind so constructed and arranged that when closed the surface area of the valve opposed to the nitial fluid pressure, or pressure on the inlet side, will be quite small, but when said valve is open, the initial pressure will act on a larger area thereof and thereby compensate for the change in effective area of the diaphragm, and the varying tensions of the springs due to the change in pressure of the actuating fluid.

' portion of the valve on the line 22 of Fig.

1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of the same figure.- Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the valve proper. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the valve seat niple. Fig. 6 is a view partly in section of the inlet nipple which supports the valve seat nipple. Fig. 7 is an elevation partly in section of the post through which the diaphragm actuates the valve. Fig. 8 is a view of a modified form of the valve.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used to desi ate like parts 1n all the figures, 10 and 11 1ndicate the two portions or halves, respectively, of a valve caslng of well-known type, said portions having at their adjacent peripheral edges, flanges 12 and 13 designed to fit fiatwise together and through which bolts 14 pass to asten the portions 10 and 11 securely. Between the two halves of the casing 10 and 11 1s placed a diaphragm 15 held in position by the bolts 14. The portion 10, of the casing, herein called the upper portion because of the position of the valve, is preferably made dome shape so as to rovide an interlor chamber 16, from whic there projects upwardly at its center, a continuation 16 of said chamber into an extension or neck 17. On opposite sides of said neck or e3:- tension, a short distance below its upper end, s an inlet opening 18, and an outlet openmg 19, said openings communicating with the chamber 16? and are threaded interiorly at their outer ends to receive pipes by which fluid is conveyed to and from the regulator.

A nipple 20 is driven into or otherwise secured in the inner end of the inlet opening 18 with its inner end 20 projectin into the chamber 16*; but if preferred, t e nipple may be formed integral with the portion 10 of the valve casing, as in Fig. 8. Within the nipple 20 is a passage 22 extending from its outer end nearly to its inner end where it is connected by a cross-passage 23 leading -vertically upward in the axis of the valve casing. Threaded into the opening 23 is the lower end of a valve seat nipple 1, the upper end of which is provided with an annular valve seat 2. Slidably mounted over the valve seat nipple 1 is a valve 3 made in the form of an inverted cup having an exterior flange 4 at its lower end which latter is tapered outwardly at 5 on its inner side at the bottom. Within the valve 3, at the closed top of its bore, is a disk 7, of greater area than the valve seat, which when the valve is closed bears upon the valve seat 2 and closes the passageway 8 through the valve seatni ple. The valve seat nipple 1, just above tl ie threaded portion is made circular as at 9 and slightly smaller than the interior bore of the valve 3, between which part 9 and the valve seat 2 is a polygonal or flat sided portion 9 the angles of which form guides for the valve 3 while the flat surfaces provide passages to permit the escape of fluidbetween of the spring, as heretofore stated.

By making the valve 3 cup-shaped with its sides extending over and around the valve seat nipple 1 and having a valve seat on said nipple of less area than the inner bore 6 of the valve, it follows that when the valve is seated it is subjected to initial pressure on a smaller area than when open, as in the latter position, the full surface of the valve is sometimes exposed to the initial fluid pressure flowing through the passageway 8, while at other times it is exposed to an intermediate pressure which may be at any point between the initial and delivery pressures, according to volume of delivery.

Without departing from the spirit of this invention, the circular portion 9", Fig. 8, of the valve seat nipple 1 may be of the same diameter as, the angles or corners of the guide portion 9 of said nipple slidably fitting the interior bore of the valve 3 and with this construction a restricted outlet from the chamber 6is provided by means of one or more small holes 6 piercing the outer wall or top of the valve 3. If this construction be used the outwardly tapering portion 5 of the preferred form of the valve 3 must be omitted.

Resting on the diaphragm 15 in its center, and extending upwardly therefrom into the extension 16 of the chamber 16, is a post 31 comprising a circular base, which is carried by t e diaphragm, and two upright arms 31 which straddle the inner end of the inlet nipple 20' and hear at their upper ends against the bottom of flange 1 of the valve 3. The post 31 is not fixed in position but is prevented from moving laterally by the walls of the chamber 16.

Beneath the center of the diaphragm is a circular plate 33 held against the diaphragm by a helical spring 34 pressing upwardly against said plate, the lower end of said spring resting on a follower 35 supported on the upper end of an adjusting screw 36 threaded in the bottom of the lower half 11 of the casing. By turning this screw in one direction or the other, the tension of the spring may be increased or diminished as desired. The peripheral edge of the plate 33 projects over the incurved wall of the lower half of the casing which wall is shouldered at 37 to. form a stop for the plate and limit the downward flexion of the diaphragm 15.

- Surroundin the valve 3, and bearing on the flange 4, t ereof is a helical spring 30,

the upper end of said'sprin cavity ormed in the lower en 29 threaded into the top of the neck or extension 17 The tension of the spring 30 is regulated by screwing said cap into and out of said neck, as is evident.

In operation, fluid under pressure enters the valve through the inlet 18, and flows through the passage-way 22 in the inlet nipple 20 and out through the valve seat nipple 1 into the valve 3, thence down through the bore of said valve between the walls thereof and the flat sides 9 of the valve seat nipple, past the reduced circular portion 9 into the chamber 16,.and thence away by the outlet passage 19. The spring resting in a 34 having been adjusted by turning the screw 36 and the spring 30 abutting the cap 29 set to close the valve when the pressure in the chamber 16 has reached a predetermined point, the parts will remain in the position shown in Fig. l'so long as the pressure on the outlet side of the valve remains at the maximum point. pressure is presumed constant.

As soon as any flow or use of the fluid is started from the chamber 16, a slight reduction of pressure takes place therein that permits the spring 34, pressing against the plate 33, to lift the diaphragm and through the post 31 raise the valve 3 from its seat 2 and allow fluid to enter the casing to supply that which has been used. It is to be remembered, that because of the small area of the valve seat, the pressure of the fluid against the valve is proportionately small,

of a plug cap The inlet sion, and further compensates for the in creased effective area of. the diaphragm in its distended position.

What I claim is,-

1. In a fluid pressure reducing and regulating valve, the combination with a casing having a movable member capable of being deflected by'the fluid pressure, of an inlet nipple projecting into the casing. a valve seat nipple extending from said inlet nipple provided with a small valve seat on its outer end, said outer end having polygonal sides the angles between which form slideways and having a circular restricting portion under said polygonal sides, a cupshaped valve slidably mounted on said valve nipple and guided by said slide-ways, fluid passages formed by the wall of the valve and the polygonal sides of the .valve seat nipple and its restricting portion, the inner surface of said valve being of greater area than the valve seat, a spring for normally seating said valve, a rigid standard between the upper side of said movable member and said valve, and a spring pressing against the opposite side of the member to deflect the same and through said rigid standard unseat the, valve.

2. In a fluid pressure reducing and regulating valve, the combination with a casing having a flexible diaphragm therein capable of being deflected by fluid pressure, of an inlet nipple projecting into the casing on one side of said diaphragm, a valve seat nipple extendin from said inlet nipple provided with a va ve seat on its outer end, an inverted cup-shaped valve slidable on said valve seat nipple 'to close the same, said valve having a closing surface of greater area than the valve seat and an outwardly,

flaring open end, said valve seat nipple having polygonal sides below the valve seat, the angles between which sides form slideways for said valve and a circular restricting portion below the polygonal sides of slightly less diameter than the interior of said valve, fluid passages between the wall of the valve and the polygonal sides of the valve seat nipple, a spring for normally seating said valve, a post between said diaphragm and said valve and a spring pressing against the o posite side of saiddiaphragm to deflect the same and through the postto unseat the valve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. ARTHUR W. CASH Witnesses:

LEONARD F. MCKIBBEN, CATHERINE E. MGKEOWN. 

